This invention relates to the field of electronic printers, and more particularly to electronic printers capable of printing multiple up images.
As known in the art, the term page print image, or simply print image, refers to the grouping of the printable text and graphic characters of a source document into an image size that can fit onto one side of a printed page. These character groupings occur with pagination of the document and the number of characters in a grouping depends on the selected paper size, page margins, and their character font style and size.
As also known, there is a process referred to as xe2x80x9cup imagingxe2x80x9d in which multiple print images may be provided on one side of a page of print copy. The character count is the same as in the source document, but the font size is reduced. While the default value is usually one image per side and is referred to as xe2x80x9c1 upxe2x80x9d, two images per side are referred to as xe2x80x9c2 upxe2x80x9d, four per side are referred to as xe2x80x9c4 upxe2x80x9d, and other values are similarly referenced. The reasons for using up imaging vary, but include the ability to conserve print paper, to compress document size for handling convenience, or simply as a user selected presentation style. The only limit on the number of images per side is the maintenance of an acceptable print image resolution and readability.
The present advanced function printers, such as the Lexmark1 Model Optra S 2450, support this process. In conjunction with their software drivers, the printers offer a user several up image values which may be selected by the user from the print dialog box which appears during selection of the print command in an information processing application. The set of selectable up image values offered varies with the printer make and model. Typically the offered values include 1 (the default), 2, and 4 up imaging. The referenced Optra model offers an extended set which includes 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, and 16 up image values. As an example of its use, if a user chooses to have a four page document printed entirely on one side of a print page, the 4 up selection is made, the print driver software informs the printer that the operator has chosen a 4-UP printing function, and the printer reduces the page image font size so as to be capable of rendering them onto successive quadrants of the paper.
1Lexmark is a trademark of Lexmark International, Inc. 
If in the above example the printer is capable of printing on both sides of a sheet of paper (referred to in the art as xe2x80x9cDuplex printingxe2x80x9d), the operator may improve readability while keeping the entire printed document on one piece of paper by selecting 2-Up imaging in conjunction with Duplex printing. The printer then reduces the page images of the received document to xc2xd size, rather than xc2xc size, and renders them onto successive halves of successive sides of the sheet of paper.
However, despite the availability of n-Up imaging and Duplex printing, it is unlikely that a printer user (or operator) will know how many page images will result when a free flowing, non-paginated document (such as a Web Page) is to be printed. Consequently, operator selection of a supported n-Up printing function may not generate the largest possible image size on the fewest number of output sheets.
One object of the present invention is to provide method and apparatus for automatically printing a source document using the largest acceptable print image size in the fewest number of print pages. Another object of the present invention is to provide method and apparatus for printing non-paginated source documents in a print copy with the fewest number of print pages.
According to the present invention, a method includes the steps of determining the number of source document page images, establishing a default image size for the print document, calculating the minimum number of full sheets of print material onto which the default image size may be printed, and printing the source document in the calculated number sheets of print material. In further accord with the present invention, the default image size is quantified as the maximum acceptable number of page images per side of print sheet material.
In still further accord with the present invention, the step of calculating the number of print sheets includes choosing as a default image size, the printer up-image value which is equal to and, alternately, which is less than, the acceptable number of page images per side. In still further accord with the present invention, the number of print pages in the print document is the minimum whole number value which is equal to and, alternately, which is greater than, all ratio values resulting from division of the number of source document page images by each possible value of up image that the printer is capable of printing.
The method of the present invention is sufficiently flexible in its steps to accommodate any sized source document, and any sized set of printer up image values. It provides an automatic, default up image value which is used in connection with the total number of page images in the source document to calculate the least number of print copy pages required. The default image size may be changed by the printer user, or operator by selecting a different up image value from among the selectable values available in a given printer. The method may be embodied in firmware, in the printer operating software, or in the print driver software on the network server.